Share

Kitshoff opens Pandora’s box

In this rather slow week between what was a very engaging series against the Irish - even if for the wrong reasons - and getting back into Super Rugby, a week in which no one seems to give a toss about anything rugby related, I find myself pondering three things...

1 - Why should a team hand over possession because a player is simply held up in the tackle? It’s hardly a skill, seems to be leading to more injuries and is just slowing down the ball.

2 - How do we up our general rugby IQ so players think not only about their position, but the team and game in general? The Irish made much better general rugby decisions than the Boks. Coaching plays a huge role and I wonder if we are developing enough coaches who are good enough not only to coach, but question existing methods with a view to developing new ones?

3 - Prior to the June internationals I called the then uncapped Steven Kitshoff’s selection “weird”, but now also wonder if, in actually playing him in PE, Coetzee has perhaps opened a Pandora's box of sorts?

That he was deserving of his selection is not in doubt. In his meagre 24 minutes he made 2 carries, 10 tackles and totally destroyed the Irish scrum. Much like Faf de Klerk, it looked like he was born to play for the Boks.

But given our clear and obvious transformation goals, with Beast Mtawarira and Trevor Nyakane as established and competent Springbok loosehead props Lizo Gqoboka on the rise having played for the SA ‘A’ side, and the likes of Allister Vermaak, Ox Nche and Nqobisizwe Mxoli waiting in the wings, why introduce an uncapped white player from France?

Sure it was about getting him capped and thus unable to play for another country, but that would have come with commitments to future selections and game time.

Given how well he performed on Saturday, has Coetzee not just made his life a whole lot more complicated?

Please let it not be at the expense of having a specialist tighthead prop on the bench. Julian Redelinghuys has now proven his value to the Bok cause and it is hugely comforting having a real tighthead as not only back-up to Frans Malherbe, but pushing him for a start. This with Lourens Adriaanse, Vincent Koch and Marcel van der Merwe at the ready.

In modern day 23 man squads there is absolutely no need for the “swinger” prop who can play both sides – a necessity in 22 man squads which only had space for one prop on the bench. As such, moving on from the Coenie Oosthuizen experiment that previous coach Heyneke Meyer obsessed with, is one of the excellent calls Coetzee has made.

But with Coetzee hinting at using Nyakane - who does spend some time at tighthead for the Bulls - in a swinger type role for the Boks at a Cape Town press conference ahead of the Newlands Test, I fear this to be a temporary decision.

Enter Coenie 2.0 in order to accommodate Kitshoff. Is it worth it?

Tank Lanning is a former Western Province prop and vociferous tweeter from @frontrowgrunt.

Disclaimer: Sport24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on Sport24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Sport24.
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1118 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1284 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 1979 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE